Actuating mechanism for work-supports.



G. A. AMBLER.

AGTUATING MECHANISM FOR WORK SUPPORTS; APPLICATION TILED JUNE 30, 1905.

1,029,839.." Patented June 18, 1912.

jmfflAmm. H I

:OLUIAIIA PLANOGRAPH 60.. WABMINUTON. D. c.

UNITE r FFIQ GEORGE A. AMBLER, OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR WORK-SUPPORTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1912.

Application filed. June 30, 1905. Serial No. 267,842.

To all whom it may concern:

a citizen of the United States, residing at lVinchester, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Actuating lvlechanism for IVork-Supports, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the -drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention is applicable to many classes of machines but is particularly adapted for use in machines employed in the manufacture of boots and shoes for in sorting slugs, protectors, fastenings and the like into work sustained upon a work support.

Specifically, the invention relates to the mechanism in such machines for actuating the work support.

In the type of machine to which this mechanism is preferably applied, the work, at the time the slug or fastening is inserted, is clamped between the work support and a foot plate or similar abutment but is re leased while the work is being fed. As the thickness of the work varies, the work support must occupy varying posit-ions relatively to the fixed foot-plate at the time the work is clamped. Commonly, the work support is raised to clamp the work by a spring. In order, however, that the work support. shall be held firmly against the blow or force exerted by the mechanism for inserting the slug or fastening, it has been proposed either to provide additional mecha nism for locking the work support or else to make the spring which constantly tends to raise the work support very heavy or strong. The employment of such a heavy spring is objectionable for the reason that considerable effort must be exerted by the operator in order to lower the Work support when the work is to be removed or replaced. On the other hand, when the work-support is raised by a light spring, it is desirable to give-an additional upward movement to the work support to clamp the work more firmly and to compress it during the time support, or a carrier for a work support, which mechanism includes connections having means for rendering said mechanism inoperative for actuating the work support or its carrier. Preferably, this actuating mechanism acts positively but an additional means, such as a spring, is provided which constantly tends to move the work support or carrier in one direction and this additional means becomes operatively effective when the above described connections to the work support or carrier, which may include one or more clutching devices, are rendered inoperative.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention hereinafter described. in detail, a positively reciprocated actuating member is provided with two clutching devices for locking it firmly to a cooperating reciprocable member connected to the work support. These clutching devices are located most conveniently on the actuating member and are adapted to be thrown automatically into and out of engagement with the adjacent face of the other cooperating member. Means are provided for maintaining one clutching device normally inoperative and for causing the other device to tend constantly to move into engagmg position, the engagement and release of these devices being controlled. automatically at the proper times by fixed stops which may be located upon the machine frame. With this construction, one of the clutching devices, when permitted to do so, will operativcly connect the actuating member to the work support or 1ts carrier to release the work during the feed. Then this device will be thrown out of operation automatically and the work support or carrier will be held yieldingly in raised. position after which the other clutching device will be thrown into operation at the desired point in the cycle of operations, so that the work support or carrier will be positively raised a distance which may be adjusted, thus compressing the work, and also causing the work support to sustain the work firmly against the blow of the mechanism for inserting the slug or fastening.

The present invention also comprises specific combinations of parts and certain details of construction which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a partof a machine for inserting protectors and slugs or fastenings in which is embodied the mechanism for actuating the work support forming the subject of the present invention; Fig; 2 is a similar view on a larger scale of a part of said mechanism including the clutching devices, a part of the actuator or slide E being shown in central section; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same parts as are shown in Fig. 2 some of them being partially cut away.

The drawings show the invention applied to the machine for inserting protectors and slugs or fastenings which is the subject of Letters Patent of the United States No. 995,050, granted June 13, 1911 upon an application filed November 9, 1903, and bearing Serial Number 180,296. While the mechanism of the present invention is well adapted for use in a machine for inserting protectors and fastenings such as is fully described in said Letters Patent, yet it will be evident from the following description that this mechanism may be employed equally well in many other types of machines.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a column having a suitable foot A and a hollow post A which receives the spindle B upon which the work support is carried. The head A of the column sustains the parts which cooperate to insert protectors and fastenings into the work in the manner fully described in said pending application. The present invention does not include these specific parts and therefore they will not be further described herein.

The work C is held between the foot plate A and any suitable work plate C or other support. As shown in the drawings the plate C rests upon a table B having a hol low shank D which fits over the holder B fixed to the spindle B. A spiral spring D is interposed between the upper end of holder B and a shoulder within the hollow shank D, the relative movement of the shank D upon the holder B being limited by a stud D in the shank which enters a slot D in one side of the holder.

The main shaft B in the head A carries a cam B provided at one side with a cam groove B in which runs a roll or stud B upon a lever B pivoted at B and provided .with a slot by which it is adjustably connected to a rod B from which the spindle B is reciprocated through connections about to be described.

The structure so far detailed is or may be substantially the same as that designated by the same reference letters in the Letters Patent previously mentioned. This specific construction however, forms no part of the present invention which relates particularly to the connections between the source of power and a work support of any suitable kind. For many classes of work, the horn, or other support for the work, is secured directly to the spindle or carrier B or, if desired, made integral therewith. carrier therefore as used in this description and in the claims is intended to designate a member to which the part directly engaging and supporting the work is connected, whether such connection be integral, positive or yielding.

As illustrated, the rod Bis pivoted at its lower end to an actuator, shown as a reciprocable slide E which may be automatically connected to and disconnected from a.

cooperating member or slide F. The slides E and F are confined by cap plates A A in suitable guideways formed by lugs projecting from the column A. A pawl E pivoted in a recess in slide E is normally forced into engagement with ratchet teeth F on slide F by means of a plunger or pin E pressed forwardly within a hole in slide E by a spring E which bears against an adjustable screw E having a lock nut E As shown in Fig. 3, the pawl E is extended laterally so that it is adapted to come into engagement with the inclined face of a fixed stop A forming part of the cap plate A As the actuator E descends, the extension of pawl E comes into contact with stop A and the pawl is withdrawn from the ratchet teeth F, as shown in Fig. 2. The point at which this withdrawal takes place may be varied by adjusting the cap plate A laterally, it being slotted at A A for that purpose. This clutching device is adapted to connect the actuator E and member or slide F to depress carrier B so as to release the work clamped between the plate C or other work support and the foot plate A thus permitting the work to be fed as will be further explained.

A second clutching device is provided also for connecting actuator E and slide F to raise the carrier B and the work support C positively. Upon the same side of the actuator as the recess for the pawl E is another recess which, with the adjacent side of the slide F, forms a tapering chamber or pocket E in which is located a roll E". A

The term pair of light springs E seated in sockets which extend downwardly from the chamber E bear against roll E and tend to force it into the narrow end of the chamber so that the slides E and F will be locked together upon the downward movement of slide or actuator E. This effect of the spring E is normally negatived, however, by a spring pressed plunger E provided with a head which directly engages the roll This plunger is received in a longitudinal central slot E in the front faceof actuator E the slot being narrowed at its upper end to form shoulders E against ed on plunger E. A spring E surrounding the plunger between its head and the washer E is of such strength that, in opposition to the springs E it forces the plunger downwardly carrying the roll E into the wider end of chamber E where it is inefiective to lock the slides E and F together. For retracting the plunger to al low the roll clutch to become operative, the plunger E is secured to a cross piece E capable of a limited vertical movement in a. transverse slot E in the face of actuator E. The ends of this cross piece extend beyond the sides of the actuator and are widened as indicated in Fig. 3. A pair of stop screws E in these extended ends of the cross piece are arranged to come into contact respectively with the cap-plate A and another fixed part of the frame, as shown in Fig. 3, just before the actuator reaches the lower limit of its movementwhereby the plunger is retracted and the roll E is caused to lock the slide F to the actuator E. The point at which this looking takes places may be varied by the adjustment of the screws E which are retained in adjusted position by set screws E The slide F is connected at its lower end to a rod F which is pivoted also to a lever G loosely pivoted on a rock shaft G mounted in the foot A of the column A. A rod G secured to the spindle or carrier B is pivoted at its lower end to lever G. A light spring G surrounds the rod G bearing at its lower end upon a plate or shoulder G in the foot A and at its upper end against an adjustable nut G threaded on the rod G The spring G is of such a strength as to tend constantly to raise carrier B so as to clamp the work lightly between its support C and the foot plate A Inorder that the operator may depress carrier B and the work support C for the purpose of inserting or removing work, a counter weighted treadle G is fixed to the rock shaft G and an arm G also fixed to the shaft, is arranged to engage lever G near its rear end. This treadle, therefore, constitutes an independent means for releasing the work atany time during the cycle of operations except when the roll E is operative to lock the slides E and F together.

Assuming the actuator E to be somewhat above its lowermost position with both clutching devices in inoperative position, the carrier or the work support being maintained in engagement with the work by spring G and spring D if the latter is employed, now as the actuator E rises, the pawl E leaves the inclined face of the stop A and engages, according to the thickness of the work, one of the ratchet teeth F whereby the final upward movement of the actuator causes a positive depression of the carrier B thus relieving the pressure of the work against the foot plate. In the particular machine illustrated and fully described in the Letters Patent above referred to, it is desirable that the plate C be yieldingly elevated by spring D so that while the machine is running the work C will always be held against the foot plate A It is obvious, however, that by an adjustment of the stop plate A or of the rod B along the slot in lever B the carrier B may be given a greater downward movement so that by the engagement of stud D with the end of slot D the work may be drawn away positively from the foot plate. Also, in the form of the invention, where the work support is fixed to, or integral with, the carrier B, the work is drawn av ay from the foot plate a predetermined distance when the work is to be fed. At the desired point in the downward movement of actuator E, pawl E is thrown out of engagement with the ratchetteeth F by contact with the stop A whereupon the work is forced against the foot plate A by the action of spring G upon carrier B, the lower end of shank D seating itself firmly upon the shoulder of holder Just before the actuator E reaches the lower limit of its stroke, the screws E come into contact with their cooperating fixed stops so that the plunger E is withdrawn from roll E allowing it to lock together slides E and F whereby the carrier B and the work support C are raised positively a short distance to clamp the work more firmly and to sustain it rigidly against the blow of the inserting mechanism. Soon after the actuator begins to rise again, the spring E moves the plunger downwardly relatively to the actuator and thus roll E is moved into inoperative position.

lVhile for convenience and for clearness, the mechanism which embodies the present invention has been described as applied to a particular machine, it will be understood that the same mechanism may be applied without substantial changes to various other machines and especially to machines for nailing, pegging or slugging in which it is desirable alternately to clamp and to release the work. Furthermore, it is obvious that various changes in addition to those already suggested, may be made in details of construction, Without departing from the substance and spirit of the invention as defined in the claims.

Therefore, what I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a machine provided with a work abutment, a work support movable into and out of work clamping relation to said abutment, a spring tending normally to maintain said work support in operative relation to the work abutment, means for intermittently de pressing the work support against said spring to permit the work to be fed constructed to restore the work support to the control of the spring at a point between its extreme depression and its operative posi tion, means for locking the work support in operative position comprising a roll springpressed into locking position, and means for preventing said roll from acting until after the work support controlling spring has been permitted to adjust the work support to the thickness of the work.

2. In a machine provided with a work abutment, a work support movable into and out of work clampingrelation to said abutment, a spring tending normally to maintain said work support in operative relation to the work abutment, intermittently operated means for positively depressing the work support against said spring to permit the work to be fed constructed to restore the work support to the control of the spring at a point between its extreme depression and its operative position, means for bringing a positive clamping pressure to bear upon the Work and to lock the work support in its work clamping position comprising a roll arranged in a tapered pocket between said means and a part connected with the Work support, and means for preventing said roll from locking said parts together until after the spring has been permitted to adjust the work support to the thickness of the work.

3. In a machine of the class described, a power shaft, a work support and mechanism for actuating it, comprising a movable member connected withthe work support, a second member positively reciprocated from said shaft, constructed and arranged to transmit movement to said first-named member, and clutching devices for connecting and disconnecting said members, comprising respectively a pawl and ratchet and a roll coacting with the walls of a tapering pocket located between said members, said devices when operative acting to move the work support respectively in opposite directions, and stops for controlling the operation of said clutching devices.

4. In a machine of the class described, a carrier, a reciprocable member positively connected to the carrier, a cooperating memher one side of which slides against one side g ofthe first member, a plurality of clutching devices carried upon the side of one of said members and adapted to engage the adjacent side of the other member to lock said members together, means cooperating with each of said devices for throwing them automatically into and out of operation successively anda spring acting to move the carrier so as to compensate for different thicknesses of work.

5. In a machine of the class described, a carrier, a spring acting normally to maintain the carrier in raised position, a pivoted lever connected to the carrier, a reciprocating member connected to said lever, a cooperating member having one side only in sliding engagement with the reciprocating member, a clutching device acting normally to lock said members together when the said cooperating member is moved in one direction, a second clutching device which may be actuated to lock said members together when said cooperating member is moved in the opposite direction, and adjustable automatic means for first disconnecting one of said devices and then after said spring has raised the carrier, for rendering the other device operative to lock said members together, whereby the carrier is raised positively a predetermined distance to clamp and firmly to sustain the work.

6. In a machine of the class'described, a carrier, a reciprocable member positively connected to the carrier, a cooperating member in sliding engagement with the first member, a clutch part at one side of the second member adapted normally to engage the adjacent surface of the first member, another clutch part on the same side of said second member but normally maintained out of engagement with the first member, and fixed stops adapted during the movement of the second member in one direction to throw the first clutch part out of operation and thereafter to throw the other clutch part into position to lock the said members together.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE A. AMBLER.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EDMANDS, ARTHUR L. RUssELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

